Hong Kong Watch holds constructive meeting at the White House on Hong Kong
This week, Hong Kong Watch’s co-founder and Canada Chair, Aileen Calverley, held a productive meeting with the China Director of the National Security Council at the White House.
During the meeting, we discussed various human rights issues, including the harsh sentencing of Jimmy Lai, the conviction of Anna Kwok’s father, and the PRC’s global transnational repression campaign. We also addressed key security issues in the Western Hemisphere and the Asia-Pacific region.
The China Director reaffirmed the United States’ unwavering support for the people of Hong Kong and its commitment to the Hong Kong community in the US and worldwide. We were encouraged to learn that President Donald Trump personally raised the case of Jimmy Lai with President Xi Jinping during their last meeting. Mr Lai’s situation remains firmly on the agenda ahead of President Trump’s planned visit to Beijing in April.
The China Director noted Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement on the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, where he “urge[s] the authorities to grant Mr. Lai humanitarian parole.” This reflects the current position of the Trump administration. In response, we highlighted that at 78 years old, a 20-year prison sentence is effectively a life sentence. The Hong Kong diaspora community is profoundly alarmed by the sentencing of Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners in Hong Kong. We urgently called for their immediate release.
We thank the US administration for standing with Hong Kong in the fight for freedom, justice, and human rights.
香港監察會晤白宮官員 華府稱特朗普訪中將重提黎智英案 重申堅定支持香港人
香港監察共同創辦人兼加拿大香港監察主席Aileen Calverley本週前往美國白宮，會晤國家安全委員會（National Security Council）中國事務主任。
會議期間，我們討論了多項人權議題，包括黎智英被重判、郭鳯儀父親被定罪，以及中國全球跨國鎮壓行動。我們亦探討了西半球和亞太地區的重要安全議題。
中國事務主任重申美國對香港人的堅定支持，以及對美國以至全球港人社群的承諾。我們欣然得知，美國總統特朗普上次與中國國家主席習近平會面時親自提出黎智英的案件。特朗普總統擬於4月訪問北京，黎智英的處境仍然是重點關注議題。
中國事務主任提到國務卿魯比奧就黎智英案判刑發表聲明，促請當局以人道理由批准黎智英假釋。這反映特朗普政府目前的立場。我們回應時強調黎智英現年78歲，20年監禁刑期實際上等同終身監禁。海外港人社群對黎智英及其他香港政治犯的判刑深感憂慮，我們緊急呼籲立即釋放他們。
香港監察感謝美國政府與香港站在同一陣線，爭取自由、公義與人權。